The present invention relates to a card reader for chip cards.
Plastic cards have been used for some time for the electronic management of service systems such as security systems, stationary and mobile telephone services, banking, and health care; these plastic cards (known as chip cards) are provided with a microchip containing modifiable and permanent data. Access authorization and/or allowability of the requested transaction is electronically verified at the time of each access request using the stored data. For this purpose, the chip card is positioned in a card reader so that the microchip contacts arranged on the surface of the chip card establish an electrically conductive connection in the card reader, making data exchange possible.
German Patent No. 195 01 620 and German Patent Application No. 195 01 641 describe card readers for chip cards, in which, however, only one chip card can be introduced at a time.
A card reader for chip cards according to the present invention has the advantage over conventional card readers in that two chip cards may be introduced simultaneously in the card slot. This results in reduced space requirements and lower costs as compared to two separate card readers, for example, which would otherwise be needed for machines combining two functions that are supported by separate chip cards. If the card reader is used for a single chip card, the chip card can be introduced either with its front face up or with its front face down in the card slot of the card reader. This provides additional operating convenience of the card reader according to the present invention.
Advantageous refinements of and improvements on the card reader according to the present invention are possible. A particularly compact embodiment of the card reader results from the fact that when two chip cards are inserted, the back faces of the two chip cards lie flat against one another. Thus the contacts arranged on the front faces of the chip cards may be contacted for reading and/or entering card information in a minimum of space using two contact arrangements.
A second switching arrangement responding to the presence or absence of a second chip card offers the possibility to introduce two chip cards in the card slot at different times.
A press plate provides a simple means for guiding the first chip card inserted to the first switching arrangement. Thus it is ensured, in a simple manner, that a second chip card inserted at a later time only activates the second switching arrangement and thus its presence in the card slot may be unambiguously detected. A cost-effective embodiment of this press plate has only one additional press spring and a rotatable support of this press plate.
In a basic embodiment, the press plate has recesses leaving space for a rigidly attached second contact arrangement. Another advantageous improvement is represented by the attachment of the second contact arrangement directly on the press plate. In this manner, when only one chip card is inserted, it makes no difference whether it is positioned front face up or front face down.
By connecting the contact or switching arrangements with a computer, chip cards that have been introduced may be read, their function can be verified, and data can also be written on them. The switching arrangements report the presence of the card to a computer and may, for example, initiate an application.
Another advantageous use of a computer is represented by the automatic determination of the contact arrangement to which the chip card that has been introduced is electrically connected. The advantage of the compactness of one card reader for two chip cards becomes particularly evident when it is integrated into a car radio. A car telephone function and the reading of information for calling a traffic message channel may be elegantly combined.
In an additional application, the transmission of information from the first contact arrangement to the second one or vice-versa is also conceivable, for example, electronic transfer of funds or the like with minimum space required.
An ejection mechanism that is provided simplifies the removal of a chip card that has been inserted. In particular, when a second ejection mechanism is available, two chip cards that have been inserted may be removed or only a single chip card may be removed.